CODE 2, VOL 32, NO 23 : 29 august 2018

Have you had a Paid Travel Time claim refused this year?

As you are aware, your union negotiated a clause in the current CA that provides for paid travel time (in addition to any kilometre claim if using your own vehicle) for members travelling to ‘mandatory and/or promotion related training’.

The practical application of the clause is drawn from an agreed policy document, which can be found here.

We are hearing reports that there are some inconsistent interpretations across regions of what constitutes ‘mandatory and/or promotion related training’.

If you have travelled to training this year and have had a travel claim rejected because your management said the training wasn’t for ‘mandatory and/or promotion related’, please email the documented evidence of the refusal to [email protected] and we will review each case and respond as required. If you do not have any documented evidence, your union asks that you obtain that by emailing those who refused the claim and asking them to confirm it was refused because they considered the travel to not be for ‘mandatory and/or promotion related training’ reasons.

Have you been refused accommodation because you didn’t travel for more than 90 minutes?

Your state office has heard from a few regions that members are having their claim for accommodation refused because they did not travel more than 90 minutes for a work related reason.

If you have had an accommodation request refused because you did not travel for more than 90 minutes, I again ask that you provide the documented evidence of the refusal to [email protected] and each example will be assessed.

Your union has a position that each travel and accommodation claim must be assessed on the merits of the application, and we are aware that senior Fire and Rescue management and the industrial relations employees of the Employee Relations Unit have the same position.

So, we’d like to hear from you if you have been refused accommodation, if the specific reason given for the refusal related to 90 minutes travel.

Public Service Regulation regarding Directives applicable to you has been updated

Early this year your union was approached by the Office of Industrial Relations with a request for input into the applicability of State Government Directives to firefighters and fire communication officers.

I am happy to report the Regulation has been updated, with many Directives now able to be formally applied to your employment for the first time. Some have previously been mirrored by Fire and Rescue policies, but now the actual Directive applies.

The new list of Directives that apply to you are –Applied rulings: For all declared public service office’s employees, inclusion of: • Appeals, to the extent a ruling provides for appeals about promotion, discipline, transfer or fair treatment decision • Attendance recording and reporting, but not to the extent the ruling provides for a class of employees to be exempted from keeping a record • Attraction and retention • Court attendance and jury service • Declaration of interest for public service employees • Domestic traveling and relieving expenses • Employment separation procedures • Gifts and benefits • Leave without salary credited as service • International travelling, relieving and living expenses • Motor vehicle allowances • Paid parental leave • Recognition of previous service and employment • Special leave • Transfer within and between classification levels.

You can find the Directives at the Public Service Commission website here

John Oliver - General Secretary

Authorised by John Oliver General Secretary United Firefighters' Union of Australia, Union of Employees QLD